Rodent trap having a snare
View Patent ↗A trap having a housing, and a snare pivotally joined with the housing. The trap has an opening that provides a passageway for a rodent to enter the housing. The snare may pivot between a first position and a second position. In the first position, a rodent may enter the housing and position itself at least partially in the snare. A trigger is located inside the housing, so that when the trigger is triggered by a rodent, the snare pivots to its second position, snaring at least a portion of the rodent in the snare, and trapping against the housing.
1. A rodent trap comprising:
a housing having a top and at least one opening therein providing a passageway into the housing;
a snapper plate assembly comprising:
a plate pivotally coupled with the top of the housing and having a snare portion and a door portion, wherein the plate pivots between a latched position and a triggered position;
a rigid or semi-rigid snare loop integrally coupled with the snare portion of said plate, and extending at least partially into said housing, wherein the snare loop pivots between a first portion, which enables a rodent to position itself at least partially within the snare loop, and a second position that traps at least a portion of the rodent in the snare loop; and
a trigger that, when triggered by a rodent, causes the plate to pivot to the triggered position, whereby the snare loop pivots toward the second position constricting the rodent between a portion of the snare loop and the top of the housing, and the door portion of the plate substantially obstructs the opening.
2. The rodent trap of claim 1 , further comprising a biasing mechanism that biases the snare loop toward said second position.
3. The rodent trap of claim 2 , wherein the biasing mechanism comprises at least one v-shaped spring clip that is operably coupled with said snare loop and said housing.
4. The rodent trap of claim 1 , further comprising a latch that, when latched, holds said snare loop in said first position; wherein said trigger, when triggered, releases the latch from its latched position.
5. The rodent trap of claim 1 , further comprising an attractant disposed inside of said housing.
6. The rodent trap of claim 5 , wherein said attractant is selected from the group consisting of a food bait, a chemical bait, a fragrance, a rodenticide, and any mixture or combination thereof.
7. The rodent trap of claim 5 , further comprising an attractant opening in said housing for inserting or removing said attractant.
8. The rodent trap of claim 4 , wherein said trigger comprises a trigger plate pivotally coupled with said housing.
9. The rodent trap of claim 8 , wherein said housing comprises a base surface, and said trigger plate is elevated from said base surface.
10. The rodent trap of claim 1 , comprising a rigid polymeric material.
11. A rodent trap comprising:
a housing comprising a base, a top, and at least one opening providing a passageway into the housing;
a snapper plate assembly comprising:
a plate having a snare portion and a door portion, whereby the plate is pivotally coupled with the top of said housing along a pivot axis; and
a rigid or semi-rigid snare loop integrally attached to the snare portion of the snapper plate, extending at least partially into said housing;
a trigger disposed at least partially inside said housing that, when triggered by a rodent, causes the snapper plate assembly to pivot, thereby causing the snare loop to constrict the rodent between a portion of the snare loop and the top of the housing, and causing the door portion to substantially obstruct the opening.
12. The rodent trap of claim 11 , wherein said trigger causes the snapper plate assembly to pivot from a first position to a second position;
wherein said first position enables a rodent to enter the housing through the opening and position itself at least partially within the snare loop; and
wherein said second position obstructs the opening with said plate and snares at least a portion of the rodent with said snare loop, trapping the rodent against the housing.
13. The rodent trap of claim 12 , further comprising:
a biasing mechanism biasing the snapper plate assembly toward said second position.
14. The rodent trap of claim 13 , wherein the biasing mechanism comprises at least one v-shaped spring clip that is operably coupled with said snapper plate assembly and said housing.
15. The rodent trap of claim 13 , further comprising a latch that, when latched, holds said snapper plate assembly in said first position; and wherein said trigger, when triggered, releases the latch from its latched position.
16. The rodent trap of claim 11 , further comprising an attractant disposed inside of said housing.
17. The rodent trap of claim 16 , wherein said attractant is selected from the group consisting of a food bait, a chemical bait, a fragrance, a rodenticide, and any mixture or combination thereof.
18. The rodent trap of claim 17 , further comprising an attractant opening in said housing for inserting or removing said attractant.
19. The rodent trap of claim 15 , wherein said trigger comprises a trigger plate pivotally coupled with said housing.
20. The rodent trap of claim 19 , wherein said trigger plate is elevated from said base of said housing.
21. The rodent trap of claim 11 , comprising a rigid polymeric material.